Hello all,
I apologize for not having this out instantly. My computer lady was back at her regular job at 5 AM Monday morning and I had my regular job I was back at. I know it is my job to promote and run this sale but I cannot answer all the phone calls and texts when we are right in the middle of the sale. The morning after the sale we still had over 125 tables to deal with, unclaimed fur, trappers ed items and misc fur sale items to deal with. My dads truck is heaped full just pulled in the shop ready to deal with when I can catch my breath. When these buyer checks clear we then have 100+ checks to write and address envelopes to. That's the end of my gripe sessions now on to the sale.
Fur volume was down 2/3. Prices were higher than Jan 2022 sale for fox, skunk, otter, beaver, mink and bobcat. Coyotes were lower by $7 or so. I will admit our overall collection of coyotes were better than normal. My batch of coyotes averaged right at $30 and it was a mix of winter coyotes and a few super early coyotes I caught in wolf traps that I couldn't bring myself not to skin. Not the greatest collection of coyotes I've ever had but just average I would say. 52 coyotes were no saled. If we were at 100% clearance and the trappers would've sold those 52 coyotes that were no saled, our averages would have went up to $34.04. Not anywhere near 2018-2021 but still ok in this market and better than was rumored. A lot of the red fox, muskrat and badger collections were very low quality and pulled averages down. We had several big boxes of chalk antler that I'm sure hurt averages and wished they were in a separate category. We had a 100% clearance on raw fur except those coyotes, some high end cats and some junk cross fox. There was some tanned fur that didn't meet minimums and a lot of poor quality tanned goods as well. George Kortum led the fur market side of things but Rocky Mountain, American Hide and Fur and Wyoming Fur Trader being competitive and buying as well. People say the "craft" market like its a dirty word and I don't know why. Porcupines Unlimited bought my lot of coyotes for a $30 average and they will probably be made into garments, or wall hangers at events. As long as their check clears I don't care where the items are going! Idaho Fur Company is kind of a small buyer who buys and peddles tanned items, he bought the top coyote at $177. Yes the craft market drove the otter, skunk, red fox, badger and coyote market. What's wrong with that? In fact craft buyers push the antlers so hard and I talked to one local antler buyer and he said he wouldn't even look at antlers at my sale anymore because they went stupid high at our fur sales. This skull, pelts with feet left on, claw, feet, bone market has gone bananas. You can get a lot more from your catch but these items are bought by the crafters. Now I will never dismiss the big boys of the fur market, but the "crafter" are keeping us going. Moscow Hide and Fur, Idaho Fur Company, Klamath Creek, Porcupine Unlimited, Clifford Creations, Rocky Mountain Select, Furs for Fun, and all the others have a place in this market and I will continue to bet them to come to the sale. My goal is to become the largest fur sale in the nation and I will continue to work on it however I can.
Besides the low fur turn out it was a great sale. Our live auction broke records, if we can keep donations coming in we can keep things at the 5% commission rate. We presented George Kortum with a ITA Hall of Fame plaque for 45+ years of buying fur with us and being our auctioneer. We signed up a lot of new members and people enjoyed themselves at the event, especially with our live music on Saturday night. The trapping demos, trappers ed class, membership meetings, live band, other events and comradery of the Idaho Trappers Association members makes this event more than a fur sale and more like a mini convention and family gathering. I want to thank all of our trappers, fur buyers, trapping supply vendors, fur garment vendors, IDFG for tagging cats and selling furbuyer licenses, ITA board, fur sale staff, George for auctioneering, and all volunteers. We can't do this event without you. I want to put a big thank you to my mother in law Annie McWilliams that did all of the backroom computer work on her own with zero hang-ups. My father in law John McWilliams and my patient loving wife Missy for cooking food for all the volunteers Friday and Saturday. The fur sale staff of my mom, Michelle, Bernie and all other volunteers does the heavy lifting so I can run around and put out fires.
The only low point was one fur buyer (not saying his name on here) getting jumped outside a local café trying to get his wallet stolen the night before the sale. Very crazy situation, especially in this small ranching town of 1,300 people. Local cops said that group was bad news druggies and they had been trying to pinch them for awhile. Fur buyers are tough, he beat up one of the three and put him in the hospital. He was beaten and went to the hospital himself and found out he had been drugged in the bar and had date rape drug in his system. Tough guy (and super nice guy) and didn't phase him, was grading fur the next day. We also had one buyer that backed out of all of his bids after all individual buyers receipts were printed and 16 hours after he submitted them and we were loading everyone's fur up. After some frustrations exchanged we gave the fur to the second place bidder and this buyer will no longer be allowed back. I won't mention his name on here but have contacted Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah fur sale coordinators and relayed my experience so they know the person and are aware.
The next fur sale is March 10-12. We will have a wolf trappers ed class, band, trapping demos, Moyle Tannery picking up fur, Fish and Game on site selling fur buyer licenses, and other events to make it worth coming even if you don't have fur. Contact me if you would like to do a trapping/skinning demo, would like to be a vendor (free vendor space, just want a demo for the live auction) or if you want to tailgate. I know shipping costs are up but we are really looking for the following items for March sale: bobcats, heavy western coyotes, color phase coyotes, red fox, grey fox, marten, fisher, lynx, wolves, skunks, marten, ringtails, coatimundis, otter, and ermine. Leaving feet on these animals will increase pelt value substantially. Beaver are super heavy to ship but I see this article improving even more and the buyers that missed out on the beaver we had were very bummed. We need beaver in March! Skull market is hot but especially ermine, marten, fisher, bobcat, lynx and otter. Any questions call, text or email me at 208-870-3217 or idahotrapguy@hotmail.com or see me on facebook.
Thank you
Rusty Kramer
Idaho Trappers Association President

Jan 2023 Idaho Trappers Assoc Fur Sale Results
Antelope Skull 1 23.00
Baculum Misc 18 $1.90
Badger 18 $22.57
Badger Claws (set) 21 $0.58
Badger Feet 68 $0.83
Badger Skull 3 $8.93
Bear Claws 20 $3.71
Bear Skull 10 $69.80
Beaver 87 $23.81
Beaver Skulls 31 $7.72
Beaver Tail 23 $2.27
Black Bear 3 $274.81
Bobcat 101 $272.83
Bobcat Claws 2 $0.28
Bobcat Feet 4 $0.37
Bobcat Skull 3 $30.37
Bones, Misc 2 $5.50
Buffalo Skull 1 $34.00
Burr, Misc 1 $22.50
Caribou Antler 5.2 lbs $3.13
Castor 11.08 lbs $54.65
Chuckar 4 $12.50
Claws, Misc 3 $5.38
Coatimundi 1 $175.12
Coyote 334 $27.52
Coyote Feet 30 $0.10
Coyote Skulls 53 $3.82
Cross Fox 11 $29.77
Deer Antler 45 lbs $17.58
Elk Antler 57.4 lbs $14.25
Elk Burr 1 $22.50
Elk Mount 2 $569.13
Ermine 46 $4.62
Fisher 18 $45.34
Fox Feet 8 $0.78
Fox Skulls 20 $8.69
Fox Squirrel 9 $5.05
Fox Squirrel Tails 16 $1.01
Fur Bailer 1 $166.00
Fur Hat 1 $65.43
Fur Purse 14 $10.33
Havalina Skull 1 $27.00
Marten 38 $32.09
Marten Skulls 16 $10.09
Mink 71 $9.78
Mink Skull 7 $5.07
Misc Mount 8 $114.50
Moose Antler 28 $15.78
Mtn Lion 1 $166.00
Mtn Lion Skull 3 $136.62
Muskrat 340 $2.99
Muskrat Skulls 84 $2.24
Muskrat Tails 15 $0.54
Nutria 2 $2.75
Otter 18 $56.48
Otter Skull 5 $13.03
Pheasant 4 $32.82
Porcupine 3 $36.97
Porky Hair 43.7 ounces $27.19
Raccoon 147 $8.72
Red Fox 194 $17.86
Shells, Misc 2 $2.51
Skulls Misc 29 $42.64
Skunk 23 $14.93
Skunk Essence 4.5 ounces $12.49
Skunk Skull 2 $5.25
Squirrel 1 $6.43
Tanned Artic Fox 11 $76.76
Tanned Badger 2 $22.93
Tanned Bear 3 $52.00
Tanned Beaver 10 $34.33
Tanned Beaver Sheared 20 $50.65
Tanned Blue Fox 1 $125.10
Tanned Bobcat 4 $98.42
Tanned Bobcat Tails 5 $10.00
Tanned Coyote 33 $38.33
Tanned Coyote Faces 5 $3.09
Tanned Coyote Tails 5 $5.09
Tanned Cross Fox 10 $67.87
Tanned Deer 1 $92.69
Tanned Ermine 30 $10.06
Tanned Fisher 6 $39.20
Tanned Fox Head 25 $2.68
Tanned Fox Misc 1 $125.10
Tanned Fox Tails 13 $11.85
Tanned Grey Fox 1 $27.50
Tanned Kit Fox 1 $25.02
Tanned Leather Misc 5 $50.41
Tanned Lynx 6 $202.05
Tanned Mink 28 $7.20
Tanned Mink Tail 10 $5.04
Tanned Mtn Lion 3 $563.33
Tanned Opposum 20 $15.10
Tanned Otter 4 $65.36
Tanned Rabbit 25 $3.08
Tanned Rabbit Feet 25 $2.20
Tanned Raccoon 1 $22.05
Tanned Racoon Tails 20 $3.66
Tanned Red Fox 13 $75.82
Tanned Silver Fox 6 $111.93
Tanned Skunk 13 $13.97
Tanned Wolf 9 $298.47
Teeth, Misc 2 $16.77
Traps 189 $4.98
Turkey Feathers 1 $41.25
Wart Hog Skull 1 $78.92
Wishbones, Misc 1 $2.10
Wolf 2 $411.25
Wolf Skull 11 $87.80

Thanks for all your work and your crew!!!
You guys do a great job
See you in March

Thanks for the info Rusty!

Tons of work before during and after these big western auctions, having a great support crew is key. Glad your sale went well all things considered. Anyone spending money at these auctions needs to be highly appreciated or your outlets will slowly disappear.

Kudos to Rusty and the organization.

So a whole marten/with skull would be around 40 avg thats a good price
thanks for posting

Thank you for work.

Rusty,

Thanks for posting the prices and your detailed explanation about the sale.

I do have one question about the average price report - some of the main items are obvious

There were 71 mink and they averaged $9.78.

There was 28 pounds of moose antler and it average $15.78

But what is with the bobcat claws?? 2 at 28 cents?? Does that mean there were 2 bobcat claws on the sale??

Or what about elk burrs - 1 at $22.50?

I happen to know there was more than 2 bobcat claws and 1 elk burr at the sale. And I know your computer program isn’t set up to figure out quantities like - 1 bag of 100 claws, etc.

But maybe those items shouldn’t even be included in the sale report because it confuses people and creates more questions for you to answer.

I know running the sales is a lot of work (been there, done that) and everyone (including me) appreciates the work you and your crew do - I’m just suggestion that maybe the average report could be edited to include just the major items. You could include a foot note listing all the misc. items you offer for sale, claws, teeth, bones, etc.

Thanks

Nancy, some of those things you're asking about were boxes - e.g. 1 box claws, burrs, etc. I had the same question while shagging. That was the way they were brought in and lotted, for whatever reason. Point taken though and will be relayed when we have our next call.

No need to apologize, the people who want instant results should go to the sale and help with the work. Great job as always.

No need to apologize, the people who want instant results should go to the sale and help with the work. Great job as always.

Where the skulls all cleaned or raw? No, not thinking of shipping frozen skulls but just wondering.

Rusty, Great job on the detailed report and kudos for what looks like a great sale!

Thanks for putting together a great fur sale Rusty. We had a great time all weekend. It was good getting to meet everyone, the demos were fantastic, and the live music was awesome. I can't wait for next one!

TurkeyWrangler: most of the skulls were raw. Just got off phone yesterday with two Alaska guys shipping raw skulls. Thx Rusty

Dang does sound more exciting than usual ol hum drum fur sale, fur buyer beating up drug addicts, getting drugged himself, live music, good food, all sorts of crazy stuff for sale, you sound like mr. Ringling when he had an idea about a circus, lol. Wish i lived closer id attend that every year.

Great job as always rusty and crew!
Craft buyers are definitely not a bad thing or bad word. They are who is holding up the market and very much needed.
In the current international fur market it is tough for many items. But the crafters certainly are making sales better

I take that the price listed on skulls is the avg price per skull?